Nokia

Microsoft went on a shopping spree, buying up Nokia's phone and services division for a cool $7.2 Billion dollars. Nokia's line of phones, probably the most popular phones running the Windows OS, are now the property of the PC and Software giant. This move is being made to facilitate growth and improve Microsoft's position in the smartphone market. In addition to the buy, some suits are going to be shifting spots in the hierarchy of Nokia with most staying in the company, but maybe one, that being now-former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, moving into the big chair at Microsoft once now-CEO Steve Ballmer vacates his spot.

Microsoft's deal will allow them to partner up more throughly with Nokia.

The purchase breaks down like this. Microsoft is paying $5 Billion for pretty much all of Nokia's phone division. $2.2 Billion of the purchase price will go towards acquiring and licensing Nokia's numerous patents. As alluded to in the opening paragraph, where things get interesting is the moving of pieces in both companies hierarchies. The worst kept secret in the tech industry is the fact that Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer will be leaving his post sometime in the near future. It is believed that Nokia's former CEO Stephen Elop, who is getting shifted to Executive Vice-President of the devices and services division, could be next in line for the big job at Microsoft. While that remains to be seen and will play out over time, it certainly is interesting times at Microsoft.

It'll be interesting to see what Microsoft can do to boost Nokia's promising line of phones. While not having the reach of IOS or Android, the Windows OS does have a lot of potential. It will be very interesting to see what greater integration will mean for these two mobile giants, and if, with their powers combined, they can finally tackle their common enemy, Apple and Samsung.

The Nokia Lumia line features some of the quirkiest and coolest looking phones on the market. The vibrant colours, the detachable backplates, the Lumia line has a lot of personality. For what the phones, at least the lower end models, in performance, they make up in style. The Nokia Lumia 625 is a cool phone, with weak guts, but it makes it up in style and customization.

Like other models in the Nokia Lumia line, the 625 features interchangeable back covers. These colours are expressive, and just plain fun. While the design build isn’t the quality of say the HTC One, the Lumia 625 impresses in a different way just as much. One thing you do notice as you use this phone though is the low-quality screen. It is a mid-range phone, and it seems they made all the concessions on the screen. It really is the achilles heel of this device.

One place the phone does make hay though is on the hardware front. While a dual-core, 1.2 GHz processor doesn’t seem like much, it runs the phones Windows 8 Operating System fluidly. Just like the colours of the phone, this highly customizable tile-based OS is fun and really suits the phone. The only thing that holds it back, like any Windows phone, is the complete lack of apps for the device.

Ultimately, this mid-range phone is just that. It doesn’t perform with the big guys, but it makes the best with what it has. The Lumia 625 is a cool phone with limitations. It’s customizable back covers and OS are a hit, but things like a poor screen make it obvious that this isn’t a flagship device from Nokia, just a fun one. Sometimes thats all a phone needs to be.

You may not be able to find cases for Lumia 920 by the boatload like you can for iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4. But Nokia' flagship Windows Phone is nonetheless a great device and, if you know where to look, you can find some great accessories for it. Here, Pure Mobile is rounding up three of the best Lumia 920 cases, as we pay our dues to one of the best devices on the market.

For starters, Incipio shows that what's good for Apple is also good for Nokia, with a model of its Feather carrying case for Lumia 920. Like other incarnations of this slim and compact hard case, the Feather for Lumia 920 boasts a barely-there weight and modern minimalist design, along with all the protection you need to keep your phone safe from daily wear and tear.

Pictured above, the Feather for Lumia 920 comes in a slew of colors that range from more professional to fun and vibrant.

Another hard shell case, Nokia's own officially-branded Protective Cover case for Lumia 920 is the very definition of a custom-designed carrying case. Made to be a perfect match, it comes in all the same signature colors as the Lumia 920, so you don;t have to sacrifice the unique look of your favorite smartphone.

A swanky and modern skin made of high quality, flexible TPU, the G-Zed Mobile Skin for Lumia 920 combines a sleek, glossy finish with a smooth matte finish, and incorporates curved design elements for a unique and attractive look.

G-Zed Mobile Skin Nokia Lumia 920 Case in Black

So whether you're looking for an officially-branded accessory, something soft and flexible or the most lightweight carrying case out there, these three offerings from Nokia, Incipio, and G-Zed are among the best Lumia 920 cases you can find.

Already one of Incipio's most popular line of carrying cases, the Feather is a beautifully minimalistic, versatile and above all lightweight carrying case. And though we're already quite familiar with incarnations of this accessory in models fro the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4, it seems particularly suited to the sleek and streamlined flagship Nokia phone.

Daily wear and tear is never a worry with this Nokia Lumia 920 case. Thanks to its high-density Plextonium hardshell construction, the Feather protects form all manner of bumps, shocks and scratches. But because the material used is so lightweight, this awesome Nokia accessory certainly lives up to its name as one of the toughest and lightest cases on the market.

Then there's the sleek and professional look of the Feather case for Lumia 920. With its smooth, matte finish and clean lines, it's totally in keeping with the device's slick and modern design.

Not to mention the fact that you don't have to sacrifice Nokia's fun focus on color. Just like the Lumia 920, this carrying case also comes in a bright lineup of vibrant colors, from basic black and sophisticated grey, to sweet pink and bright blue.

Incipio Feather Lumia 920 Case in Pink

If you're looking for the best Lumia 920 case, there are still plenty of options. But if you're looking for something compact, lightweight and resilient with a smooth look and fun color, Incipio's Feather is hard to beat.

If the Windows Phone OS were a high school and the Nokia Lumia 920 were a student there, it would be the school star quarterback or head cheerleader. Citing data from AdDuplex, BGR says the flagship Nokia phone is "the most popular smartphone running Microsoft’s (MSFT) mobile operating system." It doesn't come as a huge surprise; the device is so strikingly attractive that even the Nokia carrying cases and accessories designed for it take a cue from its bold, colorful aesthetic.

Incipio Feather Case for Nokia Lumia 920 in Blue

The bright, eye-popping color of Nokia carrying cases, like Incipio's Feather Case, or other gadgets, like the Lumia 920 Wireless Charging plate, are just two such examples.

Nokia Wireless Charging Plates in bright colors to match the Lumia 920 line

But popularity isn't always about looks. And it may just be that Nokia tends to make a better phone. "in fact," says BGR, "AdDuplex found that Nokia accounts eight of the top 10 most popular Windows Phone devices, with HTC accounting for the remaining two."

But the sleek and punchy appeal of the Lumia 920 is hard to deny, and the device does have a pretty unique and memorable style. And if you're among the WIndows Phone users who prefer this latest flagship Nokia phone, you'll probably agree that bright and vibrant Nokia accessories, like flashy blue and yellow carrying cases and color-coordinated charging pads, are definitely in keeping with the spirit of this popular handset.

When we're all old and gray, our grandkids will gather around and ask us to tell them stories of the olden days. And one of those tales will probably be about what is was like to use a phone charger you actually had to plug in. Wireless charging has officially become "a thing," and with accessories like their WIreless Plate Charger, the latest Nokia phone chargers are definitiely at the forefront of this technology.

With their most recent phones – the Lumia 820, Lumia 920, and Luna – Nokia has enabled wireless charging, making for possibly the most laid back charging procedure yet. The charger essentially just plugs into the wall, but beyond that, there are no wires to deal with. You just place your phone on top of the pad and it's done.

How is this any different than using a regular phone charger, you may ask? Well, first consider how many times you've probably panicked, looking all over for your charger, with your phone battery at dangerously low levels. Now imagine your Nokia phone charger was pretty much stationary, always plugged into the same outlet, like a phone speaker or dock. Yep, that's pretty easy to find.

In general we think wireless charging is just a dandy idea. But in particular, we're failry impressed with Nokia's DT900 Wireless Charging Plate. It comes in fun, bright colors, as well as standard black or white, to match your Lumia 920. It's also compact and modern looking, the kind of thing that looks sleek on your desk and doesn't draw unwanted attention.

And for how new this technology really is and how handy of a gadget the Wireless Charging Plate can be, it's priced pretty cheap, around the $50 range. It's an accessory that's worth it for any owner of a new Nokia phone. And just imagine how much fun you'll have telling the grandkids that "back then," you were the first person on the block to get one.

Verizon announced this week that, for the first time in three years, they'll be carrying a Nokia smartphone.

The Nokia Lumia 822, a version of the Lumia 820 customized for Verizon, will start rolling out to Verizon subscribers this November, a press release announced. Though no release date has been publicized, a source told Engadget that it may be available by November 8, while BGR thinks it'll be out on November 12.

With the announcement no doubt timed to coincide with all of Microsoft's recent events, the smartphone runs on WIndows Phone 8, and is available exlusively through Verizon.

So how, exactly does the Lumia 820 stack up against other Lumia devices? Well, for one, it's curvier, and its camera pod and flash placement has the same lengthwise setup as the Lumia 920 and 810, "instead of the transverse layout found on the Lumia 820," writes Engadget.

As for specs, the Lumia 822 packs a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, has 8 GB of internal storage, and 1 GB of RAM, though you can get models with up to 64 GB.

Its 4.3" screen has a resolution of 800 x 400, and it's got an 8 megapixel camera as well as a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, and an exchangeable shell for wireless charging.

It body seems pretty sturdy, which is no surprise for a Nokia phone, though some have called it a little thick. Still, says one TechCrunch reviewer, "If anything, the version I played with was even thicker than normal because someone had swapped the stock backplate with the wireless charging plate, but the end result was a device that was still very comfortable to hold."

Available in white, black or grey, one of these bad boys will run fairly cheap – about $100 on a 2-year contract with Verizon.

The bright and colorful Nokia Lumia 920 line is coming in November, but only to AT&T

It's big, it's bright, it's beautiful, and it's coming in November – but only to AT&T?

Nokia recently unveiled the Lumia 920 at a press event in New York last month. But as TechCrunch and many others reported today, the company just announced that its flagship Windows Phone 8 device would be coming exclusively to AT&T in November, along with the Lumia 820.

TechCrunch seems to have anticipated this news, brushing it aside to focus instead on how great they think Nokia's new smartphone is:

"The Lumia 920 has just about everything you could ask for in a smartphone, with a 4.5-inch 720p display, a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, a relatively large 2,000mAh battery, and of course, the heady combination of Windows Phone 8 and Pureview imaging."

But others, like Gizmodo, are taking issue with the Nokia's recent deal with AT&T, calling the exclusive "dumb" and citing 5 reasons why.

According to Gizmodo, the deal is going to hurt Windows Phone 8, and that "the premier Windows Phone device of the year [...] should be made available to as many U.S. shoppers as possible."

Meanwhile, says Gizmodo, carrier exclusives in general almost never work, and that, in particular, the exclusive Nokia gave to AT&T for the Lumia 900 didn't work either. The argument here is that users don't change carriers just for a new smartphone.

Another reason why Gizmodo is facepalming over the whole deal? They say that the Lumia 920's Qi wireless charging capabilities should be a major selling point, but that it's being downplayed by the fact that their device with Qi won't be widely available.

What do you think? Is an AT&T exclusive on the Lumia 920 a good idea? Leave your opinion in the comments section.

Consumers haven’t yet weighed in on whether the Nokia Lumia will be some serious competition for Android phones (let alone Apple’s iPhone), but now that a Red Bull app is in the works, it looks like the Nokia/Microsoft partnership might get a nice boost.

Red Bull just announced that it will release the World of Red Bull app exclusively in a Windows Phone 8 version for the Lumia and Nokia’s Series 40 debuting later this year. The Red Bull app lets you pull your favorite content, Red Bull athletes and stories into a customizable platform. The app, also known as “My Red Bull,” has a nice mapping feature for spontaneous meetups.

This is a big deal because developers aren’t yet clamoring to create apps for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 OS. Since the Nokia phones that run on that OS haven’t caught on with consumers, developers are slow to do the app designing.

Microsoft is trying to help the stalemate by paying developers to give some attention to Windows Phone 8-version apps. But they’ve got a huge mountain to climb. Apple’s App Store inventory totals more than 700,000 apps and Google Play has crossed the 600,000 mark for Android devices. Microsoft is the laggard at 100,000. Still, that’s a pretty good start for a brand new system on a limited number of devices.

What do you think? Would a Red Bull app (and more like it to come) be enough incentive to consider switching to a Windows Phone 8 device?

According to their latest campaign slogan, OIS is on. But Nokia's marketing team is way off in recent ads for the Lumia 920.

As Mashable reported the day of the device's September 5th unveiling, Nokia's been left with pants ablaze after two independent bloggers discovered that images and video used to promote the new Lumia 920 were misleading.

To clarify, the campaign's entire raison d'être was to pump up the Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) technology used for the new Nokia Lumia's “Pure View” camera. The argument here is that OIS makes for better pictures and video.

The campaign, shot in Helsinki, presents a model in different scenarios, with split screens labeled “OIS Off” and “OIS On.” Obviously, the images and video clips labelled “OIS On” are clearer, and even have a more artistic appeal. The only problem is, they're fakes.

Light diffractions in the Nokia Lumia 920 campaign images show they can't have been taken with the device

Neither the campaign photos nor the video were shot using the Lumia 920. Instead, a leaked picture of the photo shoot showed artificial lighting and professional equipment.

Since the story's emerged, Nokia has issued an apology, while still trying to cover its own ass. In an emailed statement, Nokia spokesperson Brett Young told Mashable:

“The video was produced while the Nokia Lumia 920 was in early prototype and still not ready to show the full benefits of the amazing innovation it contains.”

An independent blogger posted this photo of the proffessional lighting and camera equipment at Nokia's shoot for the new Lumia

That's like McDonald's saying the Big Mac in their ads only looks so big and juicy because the squashed sandwich you received with your order wasn't ready to display yet.

Nevertheless, says Young, “while there was no intention to mislead, the failure to add a disclaimer to the video was obviously a mistake.”

Apology aside, the campaign video now also contains a disclaimer that clarifies the footage is a “simulation of OIS technology.”

Nokia posted genuine photos on their site taken in low light with the latest Lumia

Meanwhile, Nokia has posted some real photos on their site that were shot in low light with the Lumia 920 and without “artificial lighting or stands.” These are compared with similar images shot with competitors' devices. Assuming the new Lumia's pictures are the real deal, they do look quite good.